1. Responding to Text Dependent Questions
How to answer questions like a high school student.
By SHANNON VESSELL

2. Important academic Vocabulary
Text: a book or other written or printed work
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is the text we are currently reading as a class.
Evidence: something which shows that something else exists or is true
In literature, this is in the form of a quote from a selected text
Text Dependent Question: Can only be answered with evidence (a quote) from the text
Cite: Give credit where credit is due.
When you quote (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for an argument or statement.
“Aye, sir, a good Christian woman” (42).
MLA Format: stands for Modern Language Association; a style of writing that we use in English class.
HOW we cite in English class

3. Step 1: Dissect the question (what is it asking?)
Questions to ask yourself…
Sample Question
What is this question/prompt asking me to do? I need to explain how hysteria applies to The Crucible and I need to provide evidence to support my response. What is the definition of hysteria? Exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, especially among a group of people. What are some examples of hysteria in The Crucible? Betty is sick in bed and the whole town thinks witchcraft is to blame. Abigail is hysterical about her relationship with John Proctor. There is mass hysteria in the room as Tituba is being accused of witchcraft. The girls hysterically accuse many other people in the town at the end of Act I after Abigail admits to dancing for the devil. Which one of these do I want to write about? I want to write about the Tituba’s “confession” at the end of Act I.
How does the definition of “hysteria” apply to The Crucible? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

4. Quotes form the text I could use in my response…
Step 2: Choose a position &Find the evidence (where did this happen in the story? Go ahead and set it up in mla format)
Quotes form the text I could use in my response…
Sample Question
I remember that tensions seemed very high near the end of Act I. Everyone seemed to be acting solely on fear of either 1) being accused of witchcraft or 2) being bewitched by someone. I remember that Tituba seemed very scared, and was forced into some sort of a confession. She started naming other people to avoid being hanged.
“You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death” (42).
“This woman must be hanged! She must be taken and hanged” (42).
“I tell him I don’t desire to work for him” (42).
How does the definition of “hysteria” apply to The Crucible? Use evidence from the text to support your response.
Page number
Period
Quotation Marks
My Position
There is mass hysteria in the room as Rev. Parris and Hale are trying to force a confession out of Tituba.

5. How can I make this more manageable?
Step 3: Analyze the evidence (How does my evidence prove my position? What is most important?)
How can I make this more manageable?
Sample Question
“You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death” (42).
Parris says this when Tituba keeps denying bewitching Betty. At this point, tensions are building. Parris is so hysterical that he is threatening bodily harm on Tituba.
“This woman must be hanged! She must be taken and hanged” (42).
Mr. Putnam makes matters worse when he starts calling out that she must be hanged for her alleged crimes. This makes other people in the room believe that Tituba is guilty.
“I tell him I don’t desire to work for him” (42).
When Tituba mentions this, she is at her wit’s end. She does not know what else to do but to play into the game. She does not openly admit to witchcraft, but she does suggest that she has seen the devil before, leaving her open to accuse someone else of witchcraft later. She does this to buy herself more time. At this point, the hysteria in the room is so rampant, no one is thinking logically—they are all acting on fear.
How does the definition of “hysteria” apply to The Crucible? Use evidence from the text to support your response.
My Position
There is mass hysteria in the room as Rev. Parris and Hale are trying to force a confession out of Tituba.

6. Step 4: put it all together (How can I put it all together to make it flow? Does it completely answer the question?)
Sample Answer
Sample Question
In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, fear governs the actions of the people of Salem, Massachusetts. This fear leads to a mass hysteria that leads to the incrimination of various people in the town. For example, at the end of Act I, Reverend Parris attempts to force a confession out of Tituba by saying, “You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death” (42). Putnam makes the situation worse when he demands that Tituba must be hanged. At this moment, Tituba “falls to her knees” (42) in a fit of terror and says “I tell him I don’t desire to work for him” (42), indicating that she has spoken with the devil before. After tension rises further, Tituba accuses Goody Osburn of witchcraft to get the blame off herself. By the end of Act I, nearly ten people are accused of witchcraft.
How does the definition of “hysteria” apply to The Crucible? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

7. Checklist: Questions to ask yourself

8. It’s your turn!!!